EDITORIAL: Mercedes gives Alabama much to be proud of

Friday

Sep 27, 2013 at 7:00 PMSep 27, 2013 at 7:23 PM

Close your eyes and imagine for a moment what Tuscaloosa County and West Alabama — indeed, the entire state — would be like if Mercedes-Benz had decided 20 years ago to build its first North American auto assembly plant somewhere other than on a rural, undeveloped patch of land near Vance. Now, take a look around.

Close your eyes and imagine for a moment what Tuscaloosa County and West Alabama — indeed, the entire state — would be like if Mercedes-Benz had decided 20 years ago to build its first North American auto assembly plant somewhere other than on a rural, undeveloped patch of land near Vance.Now, take a look around. The reality is that Mercedes did pick that site, right in Tuscaloosa’s backyard, and changed for good the economic landscape here and throughout Alabama.To be sure, Mercedes-Benz U.S. International has infused the local and state economies with billions of very real dollars, quantified by its massive Vance manufacturing facility, the scores of supplier plants attracted and the thousands of jobs created. It also raised Alabama’s profile on the international business stage, no doubt enabling the state to land industries like ThyssenKrupp and Airbus, auto assembly plants for Honda and Hyundai and ever more suppliers and jobs.And yet, the decision gave a state with a perpetual black eye a makeover in other, not-so-tangible respects. Up until the day the decision was announced — Sept. 30, 1993 — few people outside of those directly involved in the recruitment of Mercedes seriously expected the company to choose Alabama. Thenceforth, Alabamians could hold their heads high, knowing they would be rightly recognized for something other than prowess on the gridiron. After all, if Alabama was good enough for Mercedes, one of the world’s great companies, it was good enough for anybody.Mercedes officials cited the state’s people — its workforce, its work ethic — as a significant factor in choosing Alabama. We believe that. One story has it that the plant location along a remote stretch of interstate reminded company executives of the autobahn stretching through similar terrain in their native Germany and helped sway their choice. We believe that, too.Regardless, the lucrative incentive package offered by the state surely had much more to do with it. Those incentives were roundly criticized at the time as excessive — at more than $250 million, the package of tax breaks, infrastructure improvements and other subsidies reportedly was double the next highest offer. Even three years later, as the Vance plant was nearing completion, a New York Times writer described Alabama as “first in little but college football” in a story second-guessing the money the state spent on the automaker.With the benefit of two decades of hindsight, we can safely aver that the critics were wrong. Simply put, it was the best economic development decision ever made in this state. It wouldn’t be advisable, or affordable, to offer outsized incentives to every company considering Alabama, but Mercedes wasn’t just any company — it was a marquee international brand that industrial recruiters believed would be a game changer.We suspect, though, that even the staunchest proponents of the deal would have been hard-pressed to imagine just how much it would mean to the state. It was, writ large, the University of Alabama’s decision to hire Nick Saban. Yes, it cost a lot, but the return on investment has been exceptional.These 20 years later, Mercedes continues to expand, and the future looks brighter than ever. Our hat is off to the people who made it all happen.To Mercedes, we say thank you and congratulations on your success. May it long continue.Oh, and we’re still first in college football.